Moveable panel system for non-parallel tracks

Abstract

A moveable panel system for a vehicle comprises: non-parallel tracks on a body of the vehicle, the body having an opening; a panel sized to cover the opening; a transverse guide member on the panel; and compensation drive mechanisms that couple the panel to the respective non-parallel tracks, each of the compensation drive mechanisms moveable along the transverse guide member and moveable in one of the non-parallel tracks.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A moveable panel system for a vehicle, the moveable panel system
 comprising:
 non-parallel tracks on a body of the vehicle, the body having an opening; 
 a panel sized to cover the opening; 
 a transverse guide member attached to the panel and having a length; 
 compensation drives slidably mounted onto outer edges of the transverse guide member; and 
 track mechanisms; 
 wherein a respective track mechanism of the track mechanisms is connected to a respective compensation drive of the compensation drives and couples the respective compensation drive to a respective track of the non-parallel tracks; and 
 wherein the compensation drives slide at least part of the way along the length of the transverse guide member. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-parallel tracks converge towards a rear of the vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the compensation drives move independently. 
     
     
       4. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein movement of the compensation drives is controlled with regard to each other. 
     
     
       5. The moveable panel system of  claim 4 , further including a link gear, and wherein movement of the compensation drives is controlled with regard to each other by way of the link gear. 
     
     
       6. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse guide member is attached to an underside of the panel. 
     
     
       7. The moveable panel system of  claim 6 , wherein the transverse guide member is attached at a rear edge of the panel. 
     
     
       8. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the track mechanisms are attached to a drive cable. 
     
     
       9. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the track mechanisms are hingedly connected to the compensation drives. 
     
     
       10. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-parallel tracks include a cam. 
     
     
       11. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the transverse guide member defines longitudinal channels in the outer edges of the transverse guide member. 
     
     
       12. The moveable panel system of  claim 11 , wherein the compensation drives are mounted to the transverse guide member using the longitudinal channels. 
     
     
       13. The moveable panel system of  claim 12 , wherein the compensation drives are mounted to the transverse guide member using the longitudinal channels via one or more shoes attached to the compensation drives. 
     
     
       14. The moveable panel system of  claim 11 , wherein the respective compensation drive is attached to a respective cable of a plurality of cables, wherein the respective cable of the plurality of cables is accommodated inside a respective longitudinal channel of the longitudinal channels. 
     
     
       15. The moveable panel system of  claim 14 , wherein the transverse guide member further includes a link gear. 
     
     
       16. The moveable panel system of  claim 15 , wherein the link gear extends into the longitudinal channels and engages with the plurality of cables. 
     
     
       17. The moveable panel system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-parallel tracks converge towards a rear of the vehicle and wherein the compensation drives move towards each other as the track mechanisms move towards the rear of the vehicle. 
     
     
       18. A moveable panel system for a vehicle, the moveable panel system
 comprising: 
 non-parallel tracks on a body of the vehicle, the body having an opening; 
 a panel sized to cover the opening; 
 a transverse guide member attached to the panel and having a length and further including a link gear; 
 compensation drives slidably mounted onto outer edges of the transverse guide member; and 
 track mechanisms; 
 wherein a respective track mechanism of the track mechanisms is connected to a respective compensation drive of the compensation drives and couples the respective compensation drive to a respective track of the non-parallel tracks; 
 wherein the transverse guide member defines longitudinal channels in the outer edges of the transverse guide member; 
 wherein the respective compensation drive is attached to a respective cable of a plurality of cables; 
 wherein the respective cable of the plurality of cables is accommodated inside a respective longitudinal channel of the longitudinal channels; 
 wherein the link gear extends into the longitudinal channels and engages with the plurality of cables; and 
 wherein the compensation drives slide at least part of the way along the length of the transverse guide member. 
 
     
     
       19. The moveable panel system of  claim 18 , wherein the non-parallel tracks converge towards a rear of the vehicle. 
     
     
       20. The moveable panel system of  claim 19 , wherein the compensation drives move towards each other as the track mechanisms move towards the rear of the vehicle.